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Mr. President,
During the last two decades, the global economy has gone through fundamental
changes. The process of globalization, driven by trade liberalization and
technological innovations, has radically changed the paradigms in almost every
domain of human activities. It has shifted the world of distinct national
economies to a global economy. Tremendous advancement in science and technology
especially in the field of ICT have expanded the network of transnational
linkages and the digital and information revolution has provided historic
opportunity for developing countries to take a quantum leap forward and
integrate into the global economy.
2. Paradoxically, this process of global economic and technological development
has also brought about the uneven distribution of benefits, thereby accentuating
global economic polarization. As a result of dramatic advancement of modern
technology, the digital divide has further accentuated, and the income and
development gap between the developed, developing countries has further widened
and the benefit of the technological explosion has not reached to the poor.
Consequently, technology, concentrated in the hands of a few firms in a few
countries has exposed the rest of the world to technical dependence and
monopolistic pricing. The technological revolution has, in fact, magnified the
socio-economic disparities and divides.
3. Nevertheless, there is a broad consensus that technology, especially the ICT
is the way of the future. With universal access it can serve as the engine of
economic growth and development. The challenge is how to ensure that the
technological revolution, particularly the ICT, benefits every inhabitant of the
world.
Mr. President,
4. One can not deny the fact that to manage globalization and make technology
work for the poor, the international community needs to adopt a holistic,
progressive, and participatory approach - an approach that ensures the
utilization of technology towards the development needs of the developing
countries and poverty eradication. An important pre-requisite for attaining this
objective will be the provision of an enabling international environment
supportive of development. Transfer of technology to developing countries should
be an important element of this approach. With a billion on the planet living in
absolute poverty and a great majority untouched by the new gadgets; it will be
meaningless to mention about the benefits of this revolution. Moreover, physical
access to information technology will be meaningless to those who have no means
to pay for it. Investment in basic literacy, infrastructure and human resource
development would therefore be essential for making ICT work for the development
of the poor communities.
Mr. President,
5. The United Nations is well placed to lead the world in placing science and
technology in the service of development. By building partnerships with all
relevant actors, United Nations can lead the way in promoting the development
objectives of developing countries. In this regard, we feel that the
establishment of United Nations ICT Task Force was a timely step in the right
direction. There is need to give full support to this UN initiative. On our
part, Pakistan fully supports its programmes and activities and hope that the
Task Force would continue to support the United Nations membership in their
efforts to make ICT work for their development.
6. The holding of the first phase of the World Summit on Information Society in
Geneva this week is yet another important step. The Prime Minister of Pakistan
Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali will lead the Pakistan delegation to the Geneva
Summit. We look forward for a successful outcome of this phase, as well as of
its second phase to be held in Tunisia in the year 2005. Pakistan has actively
participated in its preparatory process and would continue to lend our full
support to both the phases of the Summit.
7. We also believe that strengthening the United Nations Commission on Science
and Technology by improving its efficiency and effectiveness is an imperative.
We need to empower ESOCOC and its affiliated bodies dealing with Science and
Technology to strengthen the capacities of the developing countries, in order to
enable them to reap the fruits of ICT revolution.
Mr. President,
8. On our part, the Government of Pakistan has adopted a holistic, progressive,
participatory and an all encompassing approach to the promotion of Information
and Communication Technology in our country. A National Commission for Science
and Technology headed by the President of Pakistan has been established. A
proposal to establish an advisory body to examine ways and means to develop
those areas of science and technology which are directly related to economic
development and national security are also under consideration. An all out
effort for the strengthening of the science base in the country is being made.
For this, synergy between the Ministries of Education and Science and Technology
is being created. To achieve this target, Government of Pakistan is
concentrating on upgradation of infrastructure in research and development
organizations and institutes, as well as on technology development, creating
linkages between industry and academia and development of an extensive pool of
human resources in key areas of science and technology.
9. A vibrant national Information Technology policy has been launched. Our IT
policy is aimed at;
- The realization of the role of the government as a
facilitator and an enabler;
- The development of an extensive pool of skilled IT
workforce;
- To provide business incentives for both local and foreign
investors;
- Designing of legislative and regulatory frameworks which
are conducive to the promotion of IT industry as the engine of development; and;
- Establishment of an efficient and cost-effective
infrastructure that provides affordable and wide-spread connectivity as well as
equitable access to networks;
10. Pakistan is also actively seeking foreign investment in the sectors of
telecommunications and software development. A liberal investment environment
which includes 100% foreign ownership of companies, repatriation of profits,
favourable legislations is being offered. This coupled with an intelligent,
motivated and young IT human resource provides conducive conditions for foreign
investment. The Government is also encouraging joint-ventures in IT industry in
Pakistan.
11. Pakistan, like many other developing countries, has endeavored to
strategically place itself so that it could benefit from the immense potential
of information and telecommunication technology. These policies and efforts are
highly unlikely to yield the desired results without a commensurate
international effort to place ICT in the service of development.
I thank you, Mr. President.